This application seeks support for a series of five, 1 1/2 day topically oriented research conferences designed to stimulate, educate, and guide research on emerging topics in communication sciences and disorders (CSD). These conferences, held immediately before the annual Convention of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA), will present research that has important clinical implications for the study of communication processes and disorders. The goals of these conferences are to: 1) provide forums that facilitate discussion among scientists and clinicians regarding research developments; 2) foster continuity of interactions among scientists and clinicians in CSD and related fields; and 3) contribute to the development of new investigators, particularly Master's and Ph.D. students and post-doctoral fellows who are members of racial/ethnic minority groups. Funds are requested to support 10 minority student travel fellowships. Including the November 2001 conference, ASHA has successfully coordinated eleven conferences since 1991. The conferences represented full or collaborative funding efforts between NIDCD, ASHA, and on one occasion, the NICHD. Plans for conference organization, conference formats to be used, mechanisms for supporting attendance by student fellowship recipients, conference evaluation, and materials dissemination are listed in the application. Mechanisms and criteria for selecting topics for conferences in years 1-5, as well as topics and speakers under consideration, are included. Five years of support is requested to allow for advance planning by conference participants and to facilitate the recruitment of speakers. Future research directions, including possible clinical research projects, will also be a prominent feature of each conference.